Taobao Flash Sale quietly tests in-home dining service in Shanghai and Hangzhou
According to a report from STDaily, Taobao Flash Sale’s in-home dining project, dubbed “Jia Yan” (Family Feast), kicked off its second round of grayscale testing in early August across Shanghai and Hangzhou. Word on the street is that the project has already locked in partnerships with 12 restaurant brands, covering more than 20 brick-and-mortar locations. Before this, “Jia Yan” had already gone through its first round of external testing in Chengdu and Shenzhen. Folks close to the project say it’s geared toward scenarios like family gatherings and business banquets—definitely not just another run-of-the-mill food delivery upgrade. Unlike instant delivery models, users need to place orders at least a day in advance. Partner restaurants then cook the dishes fresh, and the meals are delivered via custom packaging and temperature-controlled logistics. With this move, Taobao Flash Sale is hoping to carve out a premium in-home dining experience for high-end restaurant brands.
Game Science’s Yang Qi on Black Myth: Zhong Kui progress: no AI for now, sticking to “handcrafted” approach
On August 10, Yang Qi, co-founder of Game Science and art director of the Black Myth series, took to social media to share the team’s development philosophy for their next project. He made it crystal clear that the currently-in-development Black Myth: Zhong Kui will deliberately steer clear of AIGC generative tools when it comes to design and game asset production.
Just recently, he posted on his Weibo account, calling Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey “the gold standard for epic cinema, hugely inspiring.” A curious netizen chimed in the comments, asking whether today’s AI tools could speed up the overall development of Black Myth: Zhong Kui and shorten the release timeline.
Yang Qi’s response? “We’re keeping AIGC out of the design and asset phases—not because we’re against it, it’s just about standing our ground till the very end. And hey, here’s a thought: in an age where digital cinema and 3D post-production seem to be hitting a wall, Nolan’s out here glowing, shaking things up with even older tech… You don’t have to catch every last train. Finding a cozy little inn to bunk at works just fine. Besides, AI’s got all the time in the world—no need to rush.”
Apple reportedly still on track for 20th-anniversary all-glass iPhone next year
Veteran tech journalist Mark Gurman reported on August 10 that, according to insiders, Apple hasn’t changed its product roadmap and still plans to launch an all-glass flagship iPhone next year to mark the 20th anniversary of the iconic device.
Earlier that same day, analysts at Jefferies downgraded Apple’s stock from “Hold” to “Underperform.” Their reasoning? Supply chain checks revealed that Apple’s all-glass iPhone, originally slated for a September 2027 release, had allegedly been shelved due to “production yield rates being too low.”
AI can now write your Moments posts and comment on your friends’ updates
Recently, NUPIAO noticed that WeChat has quietly rolled out grayscale tests for two AI-powered features on Moments: “AI Writing Assistant” and “AI Commenter.” The former helps generate post suggestions, while the latter provides smart analysis and replies for your friends’ updates. All of these AI operations are handled by WeChat’s native assistant, Xiaowei.
Regarding these two features, Tencent customer service told NUPIAO on August 11 that “AI Writing Assistant” and “AI Commenter” are still in small-scale internal testing. The test entry point hasn’t been opened up separately yet—users can access the experience via the “Xiaowei” icon in the top-left corner of WeChat. If you don’t have internal testing access yet, the advice is to keep WeChat updated to the latest version and patiently wait for future releases.
SK Hynix restarts construction on China NAND flash base’s Plant 2
According to a report from South Korea’s Seoul Economic Daily on August 11, as cited by中新经纬 (China News Service’s business channel), SK Hynix has resumed construction on Plant 2 at its NAND flash memory production base in Dalian, China, aiming to expand capacity by approximately 50%. Construction on Dalian Plant 2 first broke ground four years ago, but the project had been stalled for a long time due to the memory industry downturn. SK Hynix now plans to bring in semiconductor production equipment by the end of this year, with mass production targeted for the first half of next year.
Sony sticks to its guns: physical game discs to be phased out by 2028
On August 11, NUPIAO learned that Sony’s PlayStation China official website has added an important notice to its PS5 purchase page: starting January 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be sold exclusively in digital format. Game discs purchased before January 2028 will still be playable.
This plan was first announced via the official PlayStation blog on July 1 this year, and later added to the “Important Notices” section of the PlayStation support page. Now, Sony is making the announcement far more visible to players.
The company emphasized: “For Sony Interactive Entertainment, this is a natural evolution in line with consumer trends. Players’ overall preference for digital media has clearly overtaken physical discs. Through this transition, we’ll be able to better align with how the majority of players today choose to access and enjoy their games.”
Intel announces public offering pricing for common stock, upsized to $20 billion
On August 11, Intel Corporation announced the pricing of its registered public offering of common stock at $95 per share, with a total of 210,526,315 shares being offered. The offering size has been expanded from the previously announced $15 billion to $20 billion. The offering is expected to close on August 12, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
Sony and TSMC to establish advanced image sensor joint venture in Japan
On August 11, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation and TSMC announced the signing of a final cooperation agreement to establish a joint venture company, Advanced Vision Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, in Kikuyo-cho, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The company will leverage advanced process technology to handle the R&D and manufacturing activities required for mass production of smartphone image sensors, with volume production expected to begin in 2029.
Under the agreement, Sony will serve as the single controlling shareholder of the joint venture and plans to operate it as a consolidated subsidiary of the Sony Group. The representative director of the joint venture will be appointed by Sony. Sony plans to invest approximately 465 billion yen into the joint venture through a combination of cash contributions and asset transfers, while TSMC plans to invest approximately 282 billion yen in cash. These funds will be deployed in phases based on market demand and business conditions.
